Alpha Centauri 2

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire => After Action Reports => Topic started by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 04:03:55 AM

Title: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 04:03:55 AM
Being that I recieved a phone call from work (I contract) indicating my week or so of sitting on my butt and being on forums and engaging in nerdy past times is fixing to be curtailed, I thought I had better get cranking on AAR3 so the good folks at AC2, lurkers, and newbies alike would have some cool things to read during a small hiatus coming up.

Back in the late 90s to early 00s there was a movement in gaming that believed in brutal games. Us older folks know that everything comes in cycles. In the 80s, there were Rogelikes where it was not a matter of winning, but how long you could survive.

Well, this one is going to be one of those brutal, humiliating games. Plus... this one has a story! Well, a contrived one... but it does sound cool.

If you remember in AAR1, our buddy Lal was conquered by Miriam after a desperate fight for survival featuring mass executions and chemical warfare. Well, our buddy Lal has been sent through a psi gate to HELL. The only way to earn redemption is to survive.

Yes, LAL MUST SUFFER!

The setup:

Standard Map. This is a smaller map than AAR1 and AAR2. Abundant Native Life, Dense Cloud Cover, average erosion, low sea level.

There is no tech stag unlike the first two AARs. Tech will come like a normal AC game.

Version is SMAX, all official patches, and Kyrub's SMAX patch PLUS.

The main form of punishment comes in the form of the rogue's gallery for this adventure:

Lal. I will be reprising Commisioner Lal. Politician, Democracy lover, survivor?

Two Conqueror Marrs named Marr 1 and Marr 2. The Usurpers
Two Him'lees named Him'lee 1 and Him'lee 2. The Caretakers

These are  the alien factions in the hard-to-find nowadays expansion to SMAC called Alien Crossfire. They get a number of free techs, start with a battle ogre, and are many times outright agressive towards humans, for they taste good with ketchup. All alien factions also have a special victory condition where if they build enough of a certain late/mid game facility they can win Proginator Victory, calling in buddies from Tau Ceti to wipe out all opposing factions. The only weakness is they must always be at war with the opposing alien faction and can not profit from comerce and trade.

In a way, this is kind of a curious experiment for myself. I do know all Caretakers and Usurpers must be always at war with each other. I do not know if you have two of the same type if they must be at war as well. I guess, if we survive long enough we will learn together.

Yang. If there was a hell, Yang would be there. Nuke happy, agressive Police State advocate who knows kung fu and meditates on it.

Zak. Only because if you remember, Zak did pact with Lal in AAR1. Plus, it is kind of a hat off to New Age of Power and his ICS Zak.

A few more thing about alien factions. Did I fail to mention these guys are insanely overpowered? Yeah, I must reiterate: almost broken overpowered. In the SMAX community, they are so much so that no one is allowed to play as them single player. Well, take that back. You can play them, but the only point would be to show thier special victory movie. I would not do an AAR as them. I do not know about the MP guys, but I am sure those guys would show you the door if you selected them to play starting up or kindly ask you to pick up someone else.

Oh... and you cannot win diplomatic victory like our sneaky anarchist heroine Roze did in AAR2 unless all alien factions have been wiped off planet!

With that, our buddy Lal is gauranteed to have a rough day.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 04:11:47 AM
Oh yes... the start!

Two pods and fungus among us!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 04:19:31 AM
To the north, I recognize that lush, green tile anywhere. This is GOOD. It is the monsoon jungle special terrain feature. It will give us a bit of an advantage if the terrain north has a bit of it.

Under that colony pod is a monolith. I will probably go ahead and plop a base right near there.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 03, 2012, 04:21:49 AM
 ;popcorn
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 04:27:15 AM
One small relief if you happen to play with the Proginitors I forgot to mention: you get a very few turns before they spawn on map as a small... and I mean small favor.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 04:35:50 AM
One of the pods has popped an alien artifact which means a free tech if brought to a base with the facility called a network node. We do not have any network nodes yet becuase we do not have the appropriate tech.

Our research, of course is Centauri Ecology which allows Formers, the workers if you will of Alpha Centauri to use Civ terms.

Bit more exploration reveals a decent amount of monsoon jungle to our north. This is good for nutrients. Some say a tad bit too good. Many folks from the tourneys of old on ancient forums would have this feature taken out by a CMN.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 04:46:52 AM
Centauri Ecology is out. Research is now on Industrial Base. As I remind if you have read the other 2 AARs. This is the normal rate of research. The other two games were tech stag games.

The two bases will build recycling tanks since Lal does start out with Biogenics and can build them. Being I have killed a few mindworms, I may rush one so I can get a former out.

So far, the dreaded aliens have not appeared. Nor has the other humans, Zak or Yang in this hell world.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 03, 2012, 04:52:55 AM
I'd say he was on a decent piece of mainland with Monsoon Jungle; if no Progs land too close, I doubt he's going to suffer all that much.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 04:58:50 AM
Industial Base is out. Next up Industrial Economics.

So far, so good. We are in a jungle paradise. Some decent city spots. You are right.

Our buddy Lal is not as bad on edge.

However, there is a lot to explore. After the tanks, another colony pod is needed and formers.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 05:12:37 AM
Industrial Economics is out, next Social Psych

The exploration is turning out interesting.

The only thing nasty we have run into is a mindworm or two.

No big, tusk, and nasties yet.

Although, we do have our first view of the power graph and standings. Yeah.. they are out there. Look at Yang's graph. If there are demons in hell, go figure they would eat Yang first.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 05:23:53 AM
Slight brain freeze. The research was Information Networks, not Social Psych! lol. Anyways, Info Networks is out and now we are working on social psych.

It is quiet in hell.

Maybe like BU said. Our buddy Lal may not suffer...too much. Hmm.. restart and make it worse? No. I never restart AARs.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 03, 2012, 05:40:14 AM
Are those borders all on the close side?  The water one surely is.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 05:46:45 AM
Are those borders all on the close side?  The water one surely is.

Yeah, a bit close I suppose.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 05:51:27 AM
Still, we expand.

I will say this, though. An early game nutrient bonus on Monsoon Jungle is friggin powerful!

My exploration to the south got curtailed by a hungry mindworm.

No big and nasties yet.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 06:06:20 AM
Social Psych is out. I am feeling cocky and I am going to shoot for Secrets of the Human Brain. The first faction that gets this gets a free tech. Unless I have missed something, I do not believe anyone has this yet.

I do not like those two mindworms that landed salivating over my formers.

Also... that resource square is a lot of growth for UN Social council!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 06:16:55 AM
As I feared, one of the worms did get one of the formers. There were 3 of them out there.

So far, so good.

Interesting thing to the southeast. It appears this landmass may bridge to another area. Shame that nutrient resource is in the middle of that. i am a huge fan of "canal" city sites.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 06:25:11 AM
Friggin mindworms!

I am really going to need to do some humanitarian projects to rid myself of fungus.

Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 06:37:21 AM
....yeah.

Now, for gentle lurker and newbies, if you recall and read the other two AARs, we did have Abundant Lifeforms enabled on those, too.

However, we did not get to appreciate the full glory of the agressiveness of these beasts.

We seem to be in one big, massive mindworm pit. A spore launcher is out... and the worms are everywhere.

Now, if you had worms in real life, they say get a doctor. But on Planet, you need trance troops or high morale troops. It also helps if you double up on sentinels.

Also, watch those colony pods!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 06:57:57 AM
Actual good news. Secrets of the Human Brain is out, and we get a free tech. I choose Centauri Empathy for Green, which I switch to. Research will be Applied Physics.

Meanwhile, nonstop worm attacks! I have killed three and lost one sentinel at UN Social Council!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 07:12:23 AM
..yeah. Trance time.

Green gives a + PLANET RATING which will help with all those nasty worms and gives a chance to capture.

It also opens up a great feature in unit workshop.

Poor colony pod, it's dreams of becoming a base threatened by nightmares of worms!

Meanwhile, yeah. That is a big land over east.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 07:27:05 AM
We have rushed Weather Paradigm. This is the first project in the world. UN HQ now starts on Human Genome Project.

A bit more exploration.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 07:40:19 AM
Applied Physics is out. Planetary Networks is next.

I beginning to suspect that ALL Progenetor factions are at war at all times regardless of faction. The power graph is very bizarre. makes me wish I knew what was going on. Otherwise, us humans would be getting crushed.

Makes me wonder who i am going to contact first.

Also makes me think there are nonstop battles out there. Reason I suspect is because no one is going for projects and Zak, if he is not pressured usually shoots for Secrets of the Human Brain.

Since we have lucked up with starting location and have lived this long, I guess we are going to find out. Particularly if I can throw out Empath Guild.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 07:54:20 AM
Planetary Networks out. Industrial Automation is next.

Still, no sign of others.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 08:03:22 AM
We make contact with an alien. H'Minee -1.

No words yet. Both of us wait...
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 08:15:36 AM
H'minee -1 must be south of here. The 3 Res sentinal quickly moved south when it spotted my patrol and a Caretaker spore launcher moved up.

I do not have Progenator Psych to contact. i am also not sure H'minee -1 has Social Psych to contact me.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 08:35:57 AM
Industrial Automation is out. Next is Prog. Psych.

Human Genome Project is ours!

Base borders pop up to the south as the spore launcher traps my scout patrol o the coast, unable to move. As we suspected, H'minee - 1 is there.

My mindworm sees a wounded impact rover in the eastern wildlands. That could be fearsome if there are a lot of those. We should begin beefing Military when Nonlinear Math appears as a choice.

Till then, lets not make them mad. If... possible.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 05:23:25 PM
The units of H'milee -1 move to the east and south. Looking at the powergraph, I suppose there are bigger issues than myself for her -or it-.

They must all be at war. Also, Zak and Yang... Lord!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 05:32:36 PM
Of course, the tense waiting game continues.

I am going to need to expand and get more military.

Strange thing is, I am seeing a lot of wounded units that pop in my view from H'milee 1.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 03, 2012, 05:46:13 PM
Prog Psych is out! Next up, Nonlinear Mathmatics for Impact Weapons.

H'milee wants to talk. It's pissed, but only demands I withdraw the scout patrol from it's territory.

We now have the Empath Guild which means I can now contact every one. You bet I want to see what's up with Zak and Yang!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 03, 2012, 06:46:06 PM
Man when I'm the first one to get all the commlinks, I go on a tech-trading frezny, but no one gets any commlinks.  I wanna be able to have that Governor election when I choose.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 06, 2012, 01:31:40 AM
Got somethin' for us, Green?  ;excite;
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 06, 2012, 04:38:09 PM
Later on tonite :)
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 06, 2012, 06:39:12 PM
;excite;
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: NewAgeOfPower on October 07, 2012, 06:36:52 AM
That early nutrients... IN THE JUNGLE.

Man, you are lucky.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 10, 2012, 04:03:43 AM
Yeah, I know. Though I probably should have impact weapons by now. Aliens are notoriously not good factions to deal with diplomatically.

Give me another day or so. I have been working quite a bit lately plus, an old associate of mine wanted me to write something to contribute to a project. Man, I hate being spread thin...lol. In fact, open office and a 30 page deal is open on a separate tab of my mobile command laptop. I want to finish that game, though, win or lose.

I guess that is the reason I am attracted to 4X single player. Unlike a MMO where I would be pissing off a whole guild if I could not make it to raid, a good 4x will be waiting there.





Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 10, 2012, 04:07:52 AM
The rest of us, and I say this lovingly, are waiting impatiently, however. ;)

I'm speaking as someone spread way thin himself.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 10, 2012, 04:18:02 AM
The rest of us, and I say this lovingly, are waiting impatiently, however. ;)

I'm speaking as someone spread way thin himself.

Yeah... tell me about it. I got home at 8PM CST. I have to be up at 5 or 6 AM. When I work, it is nonstop and brutal. When I am off, I am off for a week at a time.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 10, 2012, 10:41:56 PM
Once again, we visit Lal in the hell world which is turning out not to be as bad as I expected. When we last left off, Lal had just constructed a powerful project called the Empath Guild which reveals all comm links and gives infiltration on everyone.

A bit of exploring south gives a sigh of relief. Although I have seen units from H'milee 1, that city may not be on the same landmass as I am. But I need more exploration to the east of there to make sure. The mindworm is a good candidate for that.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 10, 2012, 10:58:01 PM
 ;popcorn
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 10, 2012, 11:04:42 PM
I decide to wait to contact folks for a few more turns since the power graphs show conflicts going o everywhere.

Yang has built the Command Nexus.

Then a University foil carrying a unity rover plops down near one of my northern cities. Zak demands a tech, and is not very nice about it. He declares war when I refuse to deliver. The rover is located where the "1" is.

I run into the borders of Marr 2 out in the wilderness. He also demands tech then declares war. He was going to try to kill my worm with a rover but was destroyed by a passing mindworm belonging to H'milee 1. (#2)

Also, one of the mindworm scouts has located a land bridge between the lands of H'milee 1 and the southern wilds and Marr 2. (#3).

It apears our age of peace is over. Begun, the clusterf+k wars have.

I suppose I should ring up Yang at somepoint too. The aliens though can kiss my peacekeeping backside. All of them are rude jerks.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 10, 2012, 11:16:39 PM
Nonlinear math is out and all cities that do not have anything major going on are ordered by Lal to begin making impact infrantry ASAP!

Doctrine Mobility is next up. Plus, after the infrantry, I am going to start building probe teams. I seem to be in a playground where none of the other children share thier toys and techs. So, if they won't play right, I will have to take a couple of pages from the book of Roze. Some of these kids need to be spanked by the only adult on the playground - Lal. But first, I need a good paddle.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 10, 2012, 11:17:18 PM
 
Begun, the clusterf+k wars have.
Shouldn't that be "Begun, this clusterf+k war has."?

(I can say it in a credible Yoda voice - it's easy when you know how.)

Geek points for even asking! :danc:
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 10, 2012, 11:33:33 PM
lol.. yeah.. a yoda voice is needed.

Although the only mess has been that pesky University unity rover picked off a former.

Oh, we got planetary governor... if that makes a difference on a world full of aliens! It will help on cash, at least.

LOTS of scout troops in that city of Marr 2 down there. He must not have impact weapons yet, either. Too bad the only forces I have in the area are a few native units. Not enough to mount an assault.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 10, 2012, 11:44:29 PM
A worm on an adjacent fungus square with spore launcher backup is likely to take out a good deal more than his weight in scout rovers in the base, what with the ignoring base defensive bonuses and the healing in fugus.  Soften them up with artillery for 3 turns or more before the worm moves in to attack, and no damaged rovers will take the worm out on their turn while they're trying to heal. 

I play Gaians a lot; you'll be surprized how well this works.  A single worm would have a okay shot at emptying a well-defended base at this stage in the game, provided it managed to attack on the same turn it moved in -stack damage- though not of actually taking the base due to the worm needing time to heal, too, and the target rushing a scout everytime it's emptied.  But a worm with artillery support might well take out ten or 12 rovers and take the base.  Honest.  If you survive the prog's first turn, you're in business, so soften up good.

Place that spore launcher carefully where it's hard to get to if you decide to try.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 12:04:12 AM
Well, I have been knocking out Marr 2's sensor arrays. The other worm hanging out in H'milee 1's what appears to be tiny area is en route. Also, a bunch of impact infrantry is preparing to make an expedition through the rugged wilderness through Sunny Mesa and to hopefully march through Courage : To Question. But, you are right. I CAN make his life miserable till then.

I am also going to put some more bases towards that area.

Doctrine: Mobility is out and the first rovers are on the assembly lines. Next up: Docrtine Flexibility for naval matters.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 12:27:41 AM
The march through sunny mesa wilderness area continues. Guerilla operations outside Courage : To Question is dealt a blow as a recon rover hits it, leaving only a scout patrol and the spore launcher.

Then, all of the sudden city borders of Marr 1 pops up. He wants a treaty. dealing with him is like dealing with some angry bull, but we purchase Doctrine: Flexibility from him for 100 energy. We do go ahead and sign the treaty... for now.

Oh yeah, and the mystery of if two of the same prog factions are selected if they are still always at war has been solved. Even if there are say, two Usurpers, they are ALWAYS at war!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 12:51:10 AM
Doctrine Initiative is out!

Marr 2, hearing the sound of the pain train coming in the distance asks for truce for a tech, but Lal is not interested. Aliens nearby are too much of a security risk.

Our spore launcher which was part of the initial guerilla assult has been destroyed leaving a lone scout patrol.

Also, the known world:
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 01:08:22 AM
H'milee 1 foolishly demands tech from me the declares vendetta. However, a worm in her territory takes an attack of opportunity against a weakly defended base of hers.

Rovers from Marr -2 ambush some of the units approaching Courage: To Question!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 01:19:39 AM
The Virtual World is ours. Scarily, though Zak now works on Hunter-Seeker Algorithm some where hidden in the blackened parts of the map.

The lone mindworm brood swipes H'milee -1's city of Great Intertwining right under her nose.

Our line of impact infrantry seems to be in a very tactically bad spot as they are caught flanked in an alien sandwich!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 01:36:29 AM
uh oh.. Zak just got Hunter-seeker algorithm AND supercollider all in one turn!

Our researchers discover High Energy Chemistry.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 01:46:31 AM
The column of troops continues to advance and by sheer numbers breaks the vice.

Meanwhile, the first of our navy detects a Hive transport foil off our coast!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 02:00:45 AM
Polymorphic Software is out of the way. Now working on Ethical calculas for Democracy.

Midworms have popped up keeping me from putting colonies out where I want them.

Peacekeeper Forces now have secured Marr -2's Courage: To Question and now prepares to advance on Marr -2's Era of Blood.

That Hive foil appears to be doing it's own thing and has better things to do than land something on our homeland.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 02:10:15 AM
Two units, a plasma armor gatling infrantry and a plasma sentinel have landed in the north. Zak is calling.

However, it appears Yang is messing with Zak. Infiltration reports that Yang captured a University sea base somewhere.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 11, 2012, 02:10:47 AM
When's Lal gonna suffer, dude?  ;)
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 02:17:55 AM
When's Lal gonna suffer, dude?  ;)

I don't know. It appears that instead of the unstoppable juggernauts I thought 2 of each alien would be, it has instead weakened the aliens into minor bickering backwater 3rd world nations who will never get powerful because of an eternal 4 way war.

Zak and Yang might be scary.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 11, 2012, 02:19:43 AM
Could be, could be.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 02:36:47 AM
Marr -2 has been eliminated. We have placed him deep into an energy cell beneath UN HQ. Really wanted that screen shot.. but it did not come out right.

An impact cruiser heroicly destroys a University transport foil loaded with gatling rovers on it's maiden voyage. Thank goodness, too. Those could have caused some damage with the bulk of the army fighting aliens in the wilderness. It is almost like they are the Buffalo Soldiers post Civil War and the Aliens are various tribes out west. But instead of horses and guns, we are riding rovers and mindworms, baby!

We have spotted the first sight of Yang's land.

Our "Buffalo" column is heading to eliminate H'milee -1's tribe next.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 02:59:26 AM
Ethical calculus is ours. Gene Splicing is next to lift Nutrient restrictions.

The two University units armed with advanced gatling weaponry move to attack UN enforcement base as impact rovers rush to defend.

The army continues to advance towards H'milee -1's two cities encountering sporadic resistance.

One of our cruisers catches a glimpse of Hive and University forces fighting in University territory!

Hell, this might turn out instead of a "Lal must suffer" to a steel cage match between Zak, Yang, and Lal!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 11, 2012, 03:12:02 AM
Incidentally, should you ever want to do this more than two Prog faction thing again, there are at least 4 (I think) altered Progs among the Network Node factions in that big .zip I posted in Downloads the other day - at least two done specifically for this kind of thing.  (Fuzzy memories - it's been a while.)

Heck, I've done a set of alternate Progs myself, although Darsnan never coughed up .txt  files designed to work outside his mod - I'll provide the art if you like, and then you just have to change the names in the .txt and the filenames and install for insta-mutiProgs at your fingertips.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 03:44:48 AM
In my reading, I have run across altered progs myself. There was one ancient document that said someone had come out with an "alien civil war" set of factions. Of course, I am sure the place that document refers to has been long erased off a hard drive. (It was located on gamefaqs)

It may be interesting and it would make it easier to distiguish between the aliens when doing multiples.

I do guess at some point, I am going to have to delve into custom factions. Never tried it yet, but I do not think they issue out your SMAC/X membership card until you do. Even the youtube guys have custom factions. Hell, someone had that durn pink haired girl from some kid's show and cthulu demon cults as custom factions! I would not get that bizaare, but whatever floats thier boat.

Now, unlike some, I am not an alien hater. But there are times when I like a more "classic" game and times I like the "crossfire OMG how do i stop these things!" game.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 11, 2012, 04:01:00 AM
someone had that durn pink haired girl from some kid's show and cthulu demon cults as custom factions! I would not get that bizaare, but whatever floats thier boat.
;lol

chuft's Lazymod, which I hear is very good, though I can only attest to good quality art.  I know him well.  chuft and the Stephie joke ain't as strange as Kil and his nekkid pokemons, but then Kil's a whole lot nicer.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: NewAgeOfPower on October 11, 2012, 04:40:55 AM
Marr -2 has been eliminated. We have placed him deep into an energy cell beneath UN HQ. Really wanted that screen shot.. but it did not come out right.

You realize that IS a Punishment Sphere, right?

I couldn't screenshot my Torture Videos right either, so I just Screenshotted the resulting Monument Scene.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 04:46:37 AM
Yeah.. I figured as much.

Speaking of that facility, never used it. I suppose there would be a very imbalanced mid game combo with Morgan, Free Market, and a high mineral production city.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: NewAgeOfPower on October 11, 2012, 05:01:02 AM
Or you can have a small Size 1 City with no squares and one specialist (researcher or something) and no facilities.

Then you base ALL YOUR ARMY in that one city.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 05:11:50 AM
Or you can have a small Size 1 City with no squares and one specialist (researcher or something) and no facilities.

Then you base ALL YOUR ARMY in that one city.

That.....is evil.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: NewAgeOfPower on October 11, 2012, 05:28:44 AM
You can do it wayyyyy before punishment Spheres- which is critical. Early game, minerals are super scarce- and probably more important than anything else.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 05:58:51 AM
Well, let's get a few more turns out.

After some horrid nightmares of underage pink haired girls and naked pokemon frolicking in the fungus outside one population bases with punishment spheres, Lal gets back to work. Pedobear approves, but Lal does not.

H'minee -1 will soon join her buddy Mar -2 in the sphere.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 06:19:09 AM
Gene Splicing is out and we stole Bioadaptive Resonance from H'minee -1.

We sign a temporary treaty with Yang.

H'minee - 2 declares war on us and kills a colony pod.

The Maritime Control Center is built by us!

Also: the known world.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 06:28:35 AM
H'Minee -1 is crushed. Now, the army needs to march back across the landmass to handle H'Minee -2.

Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 06:44:40 AM
Marr -2 offers a pact to fight Yang. I turn it down, because I do not like aliens and I have not built up my overseas invasion force yet.

We now have Synthetic Fossil Fuels. I go ahead and cash in an artifact hoping to get Doctrine : Air, but get Adaptive Economics instead.

Our forces have entered Caretaker -2 territory.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 06:56:39 AM
Yikes! University has gatling needlejets!!!

This could get ugly. I doi not have AAA or Air myself. To make matters worse, Zak landed two units on the north penninsula. Cannot steal since Zak also has Hunter Seeker Algorithm.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: sisko on October 11, 2012, 07:09:25 AM
This could get ugly. I doi not have AAA or Air myself. To make matters worse, Zak landed two units on the north penninsula. Cannot steal since Zak also has Hunter Seeker Algorithm.
looks like it's time to put all your energy production into the labs. maybe some specialists can help too, you should have enough population for that.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 07:21:25 AM
You are probably right. Zak also just built Planetary datalinks.

But, some good news, Lal has Doctrine: Air now, too. Missile needlejets need to be put out ASAP. I have not seen anymore University airpower over my airspace since. But, my exploration boats notice glimpses of Yang and Zak fighting it out. A lot of empty Hive sea bases between Hive lands and University lands.

I destroyed one of Zak's invaders. The other one is pretty nasty. It is a ECM plasma infrantry that eats impact rovers and spits them out.

On the attack against H'Minee, the first spearhead of rovers had to fall back to a monolith. Defenses have been stubborn but more forces are on the way.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 07:32:42 AM
Triple Yikes!

I speak too soon... Three University needlejets fly in and begin attacking formers and the city of UN Enforcement Agency itself. Air for Lal will be another 5 turns while we prototype.

Planetary transit System is built by us!

No more projects for a bit as Lal desperately begins to play catch up before Zak can knock down a city and start bringing in entire wings of aerial terror!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 07:51:46 AM
Needlejets pound UN Enforcement Agency! Those things hurt. I use some energy to rush a needlejet of my own. If I can at least kill that ECM troop waiting to take the city, I can buy time and avert suffering.

H'milee 2 seems to be coming with it! I engaged forces near Sunny Mesa and a rover is parked outside one of the former cities of Marr -2.

Good news is that a captured isle of the deep easily knocked over a University sea base way to the west.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 08:12:39 AM
Disaster and a small victory!

Under heavy airstrikes, UN Enforcement falls!

Rovers swoop in and H'milee -2 now has Era of Blood!

We destroy a Caretaker -2 base east.

Ecological Engineering is out lifting mineral restrictions!

Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 08:28:04 AM
H'milee -2 eliminates Marr -1 as forces fan south and east.

Finally, Peacekeeper needlejets scramble to destroy the University air presence in UN Enforcement Agency before Zak can bring more in, causing more suffering. A missile rover then liberates the city!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 11, 2012, 08:38:28 AM
Well, Yang has now declared war.

Also, I notice chaos needlejets being built in Zak's bases.

H'minee -2 has a large contingent in Marr -1's former base.

With the suffering looking like it may begin, I am going to end this game session and get some rest for busy day tomorrow.
Till then, don't let the mindworms bite.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 12, 2012, 03:35:08 AM
Once again, let us continue this little adventure, shall we?

The situation looks pretty scary. Manageable, but there are things that could head south quickly if not handled.

There is a powerful University on a landmass northwest of us and one of our cities is in airstrike range. Zak is out teching everyone and has dangerous chaos needlejets being built which could easily knock out anything Lal can make. So far, Zak has only been landing troops by twos. If he gets any real transports, this could spell trouble. Costant vigilance and air patrols around the hot north west penninsula and UN Enforcement Agency is needed. Unfortunately, because Zak has hunter seeker algorithm, we can not exploit Zak's one weakness.

Yang is off on a continent far west. He is currently going toe to toe with Zak, while going to war with us, So far I have not seen anything too scary from him. I have caught glimpses of University troops in Hive lands and Hive troops in University lands. But, it seems to be a stalemate because of the distances Zak's airpower.

All the Aliens except H'Milee -2 are eliminated. H'Milee -2 is probably the lest powerful of all of us. She does seem to have a decent force that she used to knock out Marr -1. But, our troops are approaching her lands and Lal will send some of our missile needle jets that can be spared in the aerial dogfights above our homeland out there. She did take a far flung former alien base we had called Era of Blood that we will need to retake.

With that, let's play a bit tonight.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 12, 2012, 03:44:32 AM
This is a strange move by Yang.

About 6 or 7 of his fusion needlejets just scrambled over UN homeland and ended turn there without attacking.

What is going on here?
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 12, 2012, 04:03:41 AM
All those Hive fusion jets seem to go the full distance then head back like they are patroling the sea between our landmasses. One brike formation and took out a crawler.

Meanwhile, some of my missile needle jets have been hitting Social Artery.

The others have been vigilantly patroling the northern waters for possible University invasion transports.

On the eastern alien wilderness front, We are sieging an alien city. However, it is a stalemate. many of the troops out there are using now antiquated impact technology. Missile troops are on the way. We also liberated Era of Blood.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 12, 2012, 04:14:08 AM
 ;popcorn
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 12, 2012, 04:26:11 AM
Optical Computers are out! Now time for some Mind Machine Interface soon.

More aerial dogfights over the homeland and the seas. Have not seen much of Zak, but I see empty bases that must be getting pounded by Yang since his fusion jets currently have the upper hand.

H'milee is breaking the siege. We also see Yang's efforts versus H'milee as well. She only has 3 cities and the majority of her remaining military might seems to be aimed at holding Lal away. H'milees troops are all commando troops and very tough.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 12, 2012, 04:46:11 AM
Mind Machine interface is out. Copter are on the way and I will see about trying to build the powerful Cloudbase Academy when one of my major production cities is through with a replacement jet.

My airfoce out west notices a desperate counter attack phalanx and squishes 5 alien units.

Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 12, 2012, 05:10:56 AM
A couple of sneaky attempts to put a sea colony pod and, in turn, air access to our lands by Yang and Zak have been foiled by constant patrols.

We steal Intellectual Integritry from H'Milee.

The world as we know it:

Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 12, 2012, 07:27:22 AM
With that short nightly session over, I will end this for the night.

I play songs of Las Vegas on my computer and it lures me to sleep.  For tomorrow, I must arise in New Orleans to make a living. For a period of time, there were union figures for professional waiters before my current proffesion that offered a promised land. I am glad I did not drink the Kool Aide, but still I dream. Los Vegas is a wasteland nowadays from my intel. I hope everyone else still can dream. It is what makes us human.

Till next time.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 12, 2012, 07:40:12 AM
Green, you are a wonder, sir.  Dream beautiful dreams of lights and topless showgirls, and your friends will be here for you when you make your triumphant return.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 12, 2012, 08:52:43 AM
The promise was much more seductive and smooth than one might expect. This flooded NOLA 2003, de facto capitol of the south before the housing bust:

Dirty Vegas - Simple Things (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWArLxG2H0U#)

In addition, agents from Los Vegas were here. Who would not love those trained under the chefs of NOLA? At least the propoganda musuc was sothing... even if it was from a UK band.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 04:53:59 AM
For a second, I was considering deleting that post as inappropriate for a AAR. But upon further thought, it is appropriate and I hope those who have  made it thus far play some Dirty Vegas to get the mood. Indeed, back during that time, there were recruitment movements. I remember a meeting between myself and a rep from Los Vegas. he was dressed in 1970s blackspliotation movies costume and had more  expensive rings on his fingers than I made in months and an afro to the cieling.

I am allowed one nerd rant per AAR, I guess. I decided to decline due to the cheeziness of the presentation.

If so, let us begin back into this world for a bit.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: NewAgeOfPower on October 18, 2012, 06:46:03 AM
Where is next chapter? I already have another pcx out...
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 07:05:05 AM
Oh god.. I need to crank this out. But watching 4x mods talk about a sister is entertaining as hell. God, these 4x guys see drama where there is none..lol. Damn this AC2 forum and it's entertainment value! This is nothing to us MMO vets that just choose to escape.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 07:22:22 AM
Okay.. the sitution as we see it. Our air force continues to enfoce our legitmacy, but Yang has fusion jets and Zak has chaos jets incomming.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: sisko on October 18, 2012, 07:29:11 AM
that powergraph looks good for the first time in this game, i think.  :)
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 07:34:06 AM
We are at the point wher this may be difficuct. University is now stockpililing AAA troops. We may still yet defeat the last of the aliens, yet because of thier dfense ad out inferior tech, maintian a advatage. Our probes do finally gain Doctrinr: Loyalty.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 07:46:31 AM
University chaos interceptors are becoming a huge concern. Meanwhile, we continue to press the attack against incresing defenses by H'milee.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 07:57:52 AM
For all that it is worth, we have cloudbase academy!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 08:04:33 AM
restarting. Screenshots with SMAX is a pain. I have no idea why a sidebar shows up. I do know I want MOAR beer, and New Orleans will provide that be back. Forgive my misspellings for this laptop keyboard is the veteran of many cigars.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 08:20:02 AM
No more beer, but a grape flavoered cigar. One moment as I brave this cityscape that is Carollton NOLA
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 08:45:04 AM
The hell... This AAR may not be as poplular because it is SMAX but, we continue. Music is Easton ft Zoe. Google it, NOLA 2000+ music from Vegas/LA. I will not embed due to the fact I have a tendency to go off topic. I already think I went too far in ebedding Dirty Vegas. However, I am undergoing changes as is all of us.

Anyways...  2304. We continue to fight off air attacks. Zak reveals a new weopon off our coast, an AAA chaos foil that promises to be a pain bombarding the coast. We contnue to fight over H'Milee's Era of Blood with no inroads.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 08:55:18 AM
The assault over Era of Blood has been broken. H'Milee is now mounting a counter assault near our southern holdings as what air defence we can scramble moves to defend.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 09:10:28 AM
Bioegineering is ours.

Despite missile needlejets dispatched to attempt to break up H'Milee-2's attack, we lose a minor city.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 18, 2012, 09:16:49 AM
Anyways, till next time, I am going to end this and BS with the rest of the AC2 crew. Have fun.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: lorddragonhat on October 19, 2012, 02:55:52 PM
Please reconsider! It was so much fun reading your AAR
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 19, 2012, 03:07:32 PM
He meant for the night, but rock on with your own bad self - that's encouragement, always in order.  New Age's AAR needs more comments, BTW...
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 19, 2012, 11:00:40 PM
Yeah, I have been having to take trips to Baton Rouge. I think I have figured out a way to where college and rent will not kill me. I am considering trying to put myself up in nontraditional student housing and just puttng rent on a loan. Between that and other things robs my time. Even if unsuccessful because of waitlists, the rent in Baton Rouge is much cheaper than New Orleans. Although for LSU, that is 4 years. The OTA program I was fixing to get into at Delgado is 2, but the bills down here are killing me. I got to do something though, PCTs make poverty wages here. Oschner just laid a bunch of us off. So, I believe a move is in order before the holidays. I am all about struggling, but why struggle so hard?

I still have things in mind. Tonite, I will explore those new things in that game.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 19, 2012, 11:41:36 PM
 :danc:
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: JarlWolf on October 20, 2012, 12:39:14 AM
Read the previous bits, and I find I am enjoying this quite a bit. I like Lal story wise, had a rough going with his personal life. Not entirely for his faction ideals though.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 20, 2012, 12:43:20 AM
How so?  Uniting everyone in peace and democracy? 

You believe in democracy, I should think - a system vunerable to abuse and manipulation by the bosses, but still better for the workers in practice than anything else that's been tried.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 20, 2012, 02:14:40 AM
Lal is more about socialist democracy as opposed to free market democracy from what I read. Although, Lal has a "politician" and "controlling" side to him. He is no Domai, though. Domai is pretty much a union controlled state.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 20, 2012, 02:24:50 AM
Speaking of which, my. H'milee -2 refuses to give up. While the counter attacks do not have numerous units, they are all armored elite missile infrantry. They are resistant to my air power.

Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 20, 2012, 02:34:13 AM
Now it gets interesting...

Yang has taken Melody of Souls from H'milee - 2 finally, giving him a beach head on this continent.

Meanwhile, we lose one of our newer eastern colonies, UN Aid Station as hidden mindworm units jump out of the fungus to assist the elite Caretaker missile infrantry troops.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 20, 2012, 02:55:03 AM
Yes! Planetary Energy Grid. A good project that will help us with cash.

And, yet another tech down, Next up, cyberethics. I NEED Chaos Weapons!

We liberate UN Aid Station.

Out east, we win a few sorties with Yang interceptors. The Aliens remain caught in a human crossfire.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 20, 2012, 03:01:32 AM
The Aliens remain caught in a human crossfire.
;lol
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 20, 2012, 03:02:53 AM
Yang takes Era of Blood, but our pilots destroy his garrison as he mops of the rest of the alien resistance.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 20, 2012, 03:07:27 AM
Seems to me like you need to devote a little time/energy to colonizing eastward - or would those be too vunerable to Yang's air?
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 20, 2012, 03:20:35 AM
Seems to me like you need to devote a little time/energy to colonizing eastward - or would those be too vunerable to Yang's air?

Yeah.. Yang's air is pretty scary out there.

But, more copters are on there way. Those may be fusion jets, but they are sitting ducks in a base.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: JarlWolf on October 20, 2012, 03:33:46 AM
How so?  Uniting everyone in peace and democracy? 

You believe in democracy, I should think - a system vunerable to abuse and manipulation by the bosses, but still better for the workers in practice than anything else that's been tried.

Never said I believed in democracy. Certainly not in how it's practiced in the terms of representative democracy, let alone a UN styled Bureaucratic nation imposed by the mentalities of individualism and pure humanism. While I value human life and I believe in communist ideals, I believe in a more communal mindset. I believe in consensus among a community, and leaders being chosen by that consensus for their communities, but those leaders would form a council if anything, and even then its just so they can coordinate local projects. Bigger leadership would be more of a benevolent dictatorship formed out whoever was more dominant naturally in the council. As for the positions themselves, the politicians get no further rights or privileges, and every few or so years people can vote in a new person, and any member of the community could run. So it's more of a consensus of who gets in by popular vote per region, by each region. A decentralist form of communism if you will.

Closer to communism on it's original idea of a communal brotherhood, but something that might work without the corruptions of centralist leader cults like Lenin had.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 20, 2012, 03:38:47 AM
Well, it is amazing how a few copters in SMAX can erase a large squadron of Hive fusion jets near your backyard.

Although, there is something much scarier than Yang out there. I had not heard from Zak at all. No invasion forces, no smack talk, nothing! So,Idecided to send a copter to check things out.

Know what Zak is up to? Teching himself into a god! He is running free market/ knowlege and has tachyon troops out!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 20, 2012, 03:50:55 AM
Ouch.  Joo in beeeg trouble, mahn.  Maybe Lal steel suffer.

I saw Scarface for the first time last month.

How so?  Uniting everyone in peace and democracy? 

You believe in democracy, I should think - a system vunerable to abuse and manipulation by the bosses, but still better for the workers in practice than anything else that's been tried.

Never said I believed in democracy. Certainly not in how it's practiced in the terms of representative democracy, let alone a UN styled Bureaucratic nation imposed by the mentalities of individualism and pure humanism. While I value human life and I believe in communist ideals, I believe in a more communal mindset. I believe in consensus among a community, and leaders being chosen by that consensus for their communities, but those leaders would form a council if anything, and even then its just so they can coordinate local projects. Bigger leadership would be more of a benevolent dictatorship formed out whoever was more dominant naturally in the council. As for the positions themselves, the politicians get no further rights or privileges, and every few or so years people can vote in a new person, and any member of the community could run. So it's more of a consensus of who gets in by popular vote per region, by each region. A decentralist form of communism if you will.

Closer to communism on it's original idea of a communal brotherhood, but something that might work without the corruptions of centralist leader cults like Lenin had.
Hmm.  Check the latest post in the Building a Community thread, topped in the Council Room - a lot of the same sort of ideas, without no steenking democracy.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 20, 2012, 03:52:29 AM
Yeah, Jarl.. Lal MAY suffer!

Well not much I can do about that except be vigilant. At least Zak would have to drop out of market before any major invasion. I probably should get Zak on the horn after we get Cyberethics.

Anyways, copters are making shoert work of the masses of jets out there. We take Erao of Blood with a mindworm. I get a wierd cutscene I have never seen, and the place is renamed to Serita's Memorial.

Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: JarlWolf on October 20, 2012, 04:02:06 AM
Your best bet is to barf aircraft upon Zhakarov's transports before he lands, or else he'll cause major problems for you with those troops. :hunter:

Zhakarov can be a scary enemy. Especially if it's a Zhakarov that disregards atrocities, and uses nerve gas like butter on bread.

Either way, getting intense. Let's hope Lal is a masochist.  :danc:
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 20, 2012, 04:12:45 AM
Yeah, Jarl. I have been patroling that area heavily. I just have not been putting screenshots of it, just major military movements. If he tries to use air, I do have cloudbase, so that might be what holds him back. The AI tends to be more conservative with airpower than I do. I do not mind losses.

So far, no aggressive colonization towards me, but I have no idea what kind of game Yang and Zak are playing right now with each other, either.

Good news, is I have taken another former alien city from Yang and I see what I believe to be the last of H'milee - 2's cities.

Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on October 20, 2012, 04:30:01 AM
We take Erao of Blood with a mindworm. I get a wierd cutscene I have never seen, and the place is renamed to Serita's Memorial.
There's a cutscene for that?  Oh - you just mean the interlude, don't you?.  I know about it, but I've never seen it in-game in 13 years, now.

Yeah, that's if the first mindworm you maufacutured got killed, and you take the base the unit that did it was from without annihilating it in the process.  It's supposed to happen that way - I've just never had both happen in all these years.


Good work on the powergraph; keep that up and there might be no more Tony Montanna.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 20, 2012, 05:41:27 AM
Wierd, BU. Actually, I think that was my first manufactured mindworm. I had made a couple because they seemed to have a lot more mobility through that eastern wilderness.

Anyways, managed to sneak past Yang air and use a cruiser probe (THANKS.. New Age of Power for the tip on increased movement) ad steal a tech.

I take another alien city. H'milee destroys a minor base of mine, but now I know where it is coming from.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on October 20, 2012, 06:07:43 AM
We steal yet another tech from Yang.

Yang has one more base on the mainland far east. Barring those annoying fusion interceptors, I should have it.

H'milee - 2 has one more city. That will be crushed shortly, too.

Another probe flotilla is fixing to steal from another Hive coastal city as Yang tries to attack a farflung seabase between Hive territory and University.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Flygon on November 08, 2012, 05:36:53 AM
I'm guessing you've been very busy? :(
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on November 08, 2012, 05:20:31 PM
Yes Green; stop having a life.  Not mocking Fly, here.  We want MOAR!

Same goes for NewAge.  SMAC(X) is greater than any hurricane.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on November 08, 2012, 10:30:28 PM
Will get back to it when all this crap dies down that is going on right now. Can not seem to find the time to spend with my laptop for more than a few minutes lately. It will get better come holidays.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on November 08, 2012, 10:31:15 PM
Is this to do with the Red Stick move?
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on November 08, 2012, 10:39:23 PM
Yep... and having to commute via LA Swift and on bike doing job interviews and finishing classes at Delgado.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on November 08, 2012, 10:44:23 PM
I miss having you around all the time.  You were doing a lot to entertain me everyone...
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Lord Avalon on November 09, 2012, 12:19:14 AM
SMAC(X) is greater than any hurricane.

Assuming you've built a pressure dome.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on November 09, 2012, 12:21:27 AM
:D  Sure.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on November 09, 2012, 10:54:33 PM
New Orleans needs a pressure dome.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: BU Admin on November 09, 2012, 11:09:23 PM
N'Orleans needs stilts.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: JarlWolf on November 09, 2012, 11:43:59 PM
The whole world needs common sense.

That and plans for dealing with all the displaced refugee's that's going to be the result of climate change flooding the coasts.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Lord Avalon on November 10, 2012, 12:25:14 AM
Launch solar shade, of course.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: JarlWolf on November 10, 2012, 06:03:19 AM
Launch solar shade, of course.

Not enough votes on the council  ;lol
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Lord Avalon on November 10, 2012, 10:30:46 PM
You (opposers) realize, of course, this means vendetta.  :mad:
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 04, 2012, 08:55:35 PM
Alrighty, guys... next week the insanity dies down and I am going to continue this interesting game.

Man, it seems I have been on busses, trains, and my bike constantly and arriving back home dead over the last month. Of course, OMTing on Fallen Enchantress does not help either. Even then, all of it was for naught! It turns out instead of Baton Rouge, I must head to Jackson, MS! I got an offer for a better program in MS. I catch the train next week and when I settle in, I am going to kick some Zak and Yang tail (I hope).
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on December 04, 2012, 09:22:32 PM
 ;excite;
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Kilkakon on December 07, 2012, 12:41:52 PM
someone had that durn pink haired girl from some kid's show and cthulu demon cults as custom factions! I would not get that bizaare, but whatever floats thier boat.
;lol

chuft's Lazymod, which I hear is very good, though I can only attest to good quality art.  I know him well.  chuft and the Stephie joke ain't as strange as Kil and his nekkid pokemons, but then Kil's a whole lot nicer.
Aww thanks for the character reference.  :danc:

Perhaps we should have made a red terrain graphic for this game haha
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 08, 2012, 12:48:31 AM
someone had that durn pink haired girl from some kid's show and cthulu demon cults as custom factions! I would not get that bizaare, but whatever floats thier boat.
;lol

chuft's Lazymod, which I hear is very good, though I can only attest to good quality art.  I know him well.  chuft and the Stephie joke ain't as strange as Kil and his nekkid pokemons, but then Kil's a whole lot nicer.
Aww thanks for the character reference.  :danc:

Perhaps we should have made a red terrain graphic for this game haha

Lol... I still have not forgotten my weird ideas. In the Marigny in New Orleans, there is one guy that sits in a coffee shop outside. He is loaded rich and does nothing but wake up around noon to drink coffee and talk history and radical politics. About 3 PM, he moves over to the cafe next door and switches to wine and a big deli style po-boy till he gets ready to get back on his bike to his nice house and blast 1960s Jazz and sleep and do the same thing the next day.

If I were the same, I would do that too... except 4x game code would be on my screen at night while I blast trance music.

If I had such time, I would do the same thing. If I had that time... Damn real life!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 09, 2012, 03:19:48 AM
Let's crank out a few turns, shall we? Do not have that much time, but a few turns would be cool.

In a way, it is almost like back in my Civ4 days and on Gamespy taking over a weird game where someone dropped and need to relearn the situation. Yes, it has been that long. Fortunately, I had a detailed AAR, so I am up to speed.

Yang is to the southwest landmass. Zak is on the northwest landmass. All of us are in a three way war with Zak currently in tech lead.

I am tops on the powergraph. I forgot to screenshot it, but before I went on hiatus, I discovered Chaos weapons.

Unlike my victory with Roze in AAR2, I do not believe diplomacy victory is going to be realistic.

Research is Silksteel Alloys in 6 years.

I also have quite a few good projects, but Zak has some nice ones as well including the Hunter-Seeker Algorithm that takes care of his one glaring weakness: probes.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on December 09, 2012, 03:28:09 AM
 ;popcorn
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 09, 2012, 03:31:53 AM
Very next turn, I eliminate the last Alien.

Now, our three way cage match begins.

Yang has one foothold in a former alien city on the eastern edge of our landmass. Nothing that a bit of air and a speeder will not be able to handle. The cities off the coast will take a bit of navy I do not have a lot of yet.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 09, 2012, 03:42:17 AM
Yang managed to land a few units where the yellow circle is. A few needlejets and copters took care of it. As a bonus, there was an alien artifact in the stack that will head to a city to be plugged in.

A bit worried about Zak.. he is building tachyon units!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 09, 2012, 03:56:49 AM
Yang mind controlled Great Intertwining and I saw a couple of more units land there.

We lose the artifact as Yang interceptor airpower scrambles.

A few copters go to scout and pick off formers up in Zak land. Ouch those tachyon forces.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 09, 2012, 04:16:31 AM
Okay, we got Silksteel armor now. Monopole Magnets out of the choices the game gives me sounds like the next logical choice. Our landmass is a fairly large one and being able to shift troops quickly seems like a great idea.

Damn Yang and probes. He mind controlled another former alien city. Fortunately, copters and needlejets kill everything inn those three cities he has out there and my mindworms and newer SAM rovers are coming to snag those.

My suicide copters have been taking pot shots at colony pods, the occasion probe, and formers deep in Yang and Zak territory. We now know a bit more about the extent of both Zak and Yang's infrastructure. The powergraph seems to be correct. I totally out base them.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 09, 2012, 04:30:40 AM
Cyborg Factory is ours.

We retake one of those cities out east and Yang lands more troops and destroys it as a mindworm takes a second.

A probe team of ours steals Applied Relativity from Yang.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 09, 2012, 04:46:13 AM
Okay, we discover Monopole Magnets and steal yet another tech from Yang - Adaptive resonance.

Centauri Meditation sounds kind of nice for next. Isles of the Deep would do wonders to knock out some of Zak's sea bases due to tech disparity. Plus, we are running green and he is running market. Happy fun time.

Well, as I said, tonite would be a short session. I will try to get back to this in a few days as uploading/saving/ and doing these AARs in the level of detail I do is painfully slow. Sometimes I have to catch myself turning as I remember.. hey.. the guys on the forum probably wanted to see that.

Till then.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 20, 2012, 11:10:58 PM
Back again. Tonite I will try to finish this off. Lately, I have been distracted by a bunch of other games plus I have been hanging with family back home. I also ended up with a copy of Civ 5 and Gods and Kings and played Civ 5 for the first time. Which, btw, is not too bad despite some of the vitriol I have read from some 4xers. The system requirements were also not as bad as I thought. It does run on my newer cheap laptop. Maybe at some point, I will dissect it for you guys and give you my impressions. Not here, though.

After the next energy drink puts me in a manic state, we will begin to get out of this deadlock with Yang and Zak and hopefully start wooping butt.



Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 06:25:53 AM
Well, after looking over some terraforming projects, the first thing I do is capture a base out east from Yang and move what I feel is a mindworm in a bad place out.

However, in my haste and the fact I have not played this in a bit I realize why that worm was there. There was only a probe team there. The very next turn, Yang mind controls back the base I took, gaining a copter and a chaos rover.

This is going to be frustrating. I do not think the AI is just going to lay down and make tonite easy. They want to try my patience. I may need a beer - or the spiked eggnog in the fridge.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 06:35:03 AM
I remember the old saying from a cheesy 1980s martial arts flick, "Only a Ninja can beat a Ninja.".

It will not work with Zak because he has the powerful Hunter-Seeker algorithm project built which destroys ninjas. Now, I will not waste EC I am saving for projects on MCing bases. But I will steal tech and kill other ninjas. More are on the way.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 06:42:51 AM
Oh yeah.. annoying size 1 sea base where Yang was going to plop a nation's worth of fusion jets right in airsrike distance of the home province needed to go bye bye, too.

Oh hey, Zak.

Zak? Why are you just sitting... building.. is there something between You and Yang I can not see? I know yall are fighting, too. Or is Zak teching up into a god?

Not on my Chiron. I will deal with you eventually.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 06:55:28 AM
Now, the nation's worth of needlejets appear out east instead. Great. I guess i really should start with some navy to get rid of sea bases hugging the eastern seaboard of the continent.

Kill it with fire. It is the only way to be sure. But, for all these roaches with little blue Yang heads running around, I need bigger weapons. Smacking one just does not kill the nest. I need stuff to kill this whole roach nest.

Oh.. even a blue jet and a ship come to harrass honest peacekeeper formers. Yang is a monster.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 07:17:00 AM
Well, that huge wing of fusion Jets stayed put. I make sure not to leave any units outside the walls of bases.

The AI tends to be very cautious about attacking bases with jets. Yang would be correct in this being i have the powerful Cloudbase Academy - a project that puts a facility called the aerospace complex in every base even the small cruddy ones. It gives my units stationed there a bonus versus air attacks. Of course, having silksteel garrisons does not make that easier for old Yang.

Now if some AI guy who has a black belt in code fu is reading, I feel sometimes the AI is a bit TOO cautious with air. Yeah.. those small bases I just got have probably a rover and a silksteel. One or two have copters. But, if you threw that amount of needle jets at that, yeah, you would lose a ton but Yang could just sent one unit to come in and take them.

In the large picture, we retake the base that was mind controlled out east. My jets and few copters made durn sure no probe teams but my own are still land side.

Way far out there, a former small university sea base was taken by Yang naval forces. (2)

I also captured an Isle of the Deep. This powerful naval unit will help as I have a ship or two heading to deal with those coast hugging bases.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 07:27:33 AM
Well, another tech down.

Advanced Military Algorithms is next.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 07:33:34 AM
...and ninjas swoop in to take another.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 07:41:04 AM
and another ninja swoop in for another...

And one I was wanting but never came up in choices ..MOAR minerals :)

So that is where baby Yang jets come from....
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 07:53:48 AM
A bunch of isles of the deep join a SAM cruiser up at the first Yang sea coasthugger base.

Also, copters are making quick work of the Yang fusion jets since there is not a interceptor among them.

With that, Lal breaks out into a drunken song while on eggnog.

"An Ode to OP copters"

Oh Op copter yes i love thee so..
Oh Op copter your make the stacks just go -ho.

Until his advisors decide to leave due to Lal's bad singing.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 08:16:50 AM
..until the drunken song is interupted by yet ANOTHER group of Hive probe teams which were landed. One killing my probe and the other Mind Controlling that city again.

Arghh... the luck. My copters swing to take out the gaurds and I lose a copter or two.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 08:25:24 AM
Heh. At least some of the navy knocked over one of Zak's far flung sea bases.

Battles over at the first coasthugger bases is bogged down. reinforcements have arrived though.

My copters have not been able to help much. See, I ran them out of so much fuel, they have not had time to get much health back. To make matters worse, those copters have been catching Hive probe teams right and left.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 08:34:49 AM
Well, now.. we recatpure that same base we have been fighting over for maybe 1000 posts AGAIN!

We have Advance military Algorithms. Presentient Algoriythms is next.

Now that the fleet is upon Zak, he does not feel like fighting anymore. Not that we have seen much of him. It has been mostly Yang messing up my dreams. I think i will give it to him.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 08:49:14 AM
Melody of Souls... the city that just would NOT stay captured...

Why me.. just ... why?

Where are all these troops and probes coming from? I kill 2, 5 more pop up!

Copters are not OP. Yang is OP at times.

Oh, and I took a gander at Zak and his research. I am planetary govorner, after all. He is looking for mind machine interface. A Zak with copters could be nasty. Not nasty if he keeps running market, though.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 09:02:13 AM
Naval power crushes the first Hive coasthugger base.

To spite them, this sea base will henceforth be renamed forever Eggnog!
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 21, 2012, 09:04:49 AM
With that, we will end this session. I believe that this is a war of attrition I am fighting with Yang.

But, I have something nasty up my sleeve I think I may try next session.

Till then.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Kilkakon on December 22, 2012, 04:54:06 AM
I'm enjoying this. :D
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: prid on December 26, 2012, 12:02:10 PM
Well, another tech down.

Advanced Military Algorithms is next..
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on December 26, 2012, 02:32:17 PM
Well, another tech down.

Advanced Military Algorithms is next..

Yeah.. I probably should have gone the AMA path first. For some reason, I was thinking about isle of the deep first. But, I could really profit from AMA first. Not that it is a big deal. With Cloudbase Academy and the +defense all aerospace complexes add the AI does not seem too excited to directly attack bases with air. They should. If I had stacks of air, I would sacrifice a few. In fact, in the past, I have.

I am probably going to need Orbital Spaceflight and may have to nuke Zak to take away Hunter-seeker. I do not see any diplomatic solution to this game and I do not think I can out tech Zak for transcendance. For Yang, I am currently building transports. If I protect the transports with air, I believe I can throw Yang off enough that there will be no way he can maintain a way on three fronts for too long.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: testdummy653 on January 29, 2013, 05:55:37 PM
I hate Cliff Hangers...
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on January 29, 2013, 09:08:19 PM
I hate Cliff Hangers...

Yeah, I got caught up in Eve Online and messing around with custom factions.

You know, I had been playing Alpha Centauri for years and I never knew how to do it till I started hanging around here?

I am going to do more on this at some point. Not tonight, though. Some of the action in Eve has been heating up. I also want to help ete with his custom factions because it ties into what I have planned for AAR4 which will tie into showcasing custom factions.

All of them will be custom with the exception of Miriam, who I will be playing.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: ete on January 29, 2013, 09:38:07 PM
I am going to do more on this at some point. Not tonight, though. Some of the action in Eve has been heating up. I also want to help ete with his custom factions because it ties into what I have planned for AAR4 which will tie into showcasing custom factions.

All of them will be custom with the exception of Miriam, who I will be playing.
Sounds interesting, if you want some ideas for factions which'll give you a hard time I can help :).
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on January 29, 2013, 09:42:46 PM
As time gets closer, yes.

I have already told Kilkalon that his Fallen guy from Lost Eden will be there, though.  I will probably also include Stephanie from Chuft's Lazymod so that can represent the two largest TCMs out there as a nod to them.

May drop Stephanie, though, since Chuft is not on AC2 and there are better NN factions that would be cooler.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Buster's Uncle on January 29, 2013, 09:50:01 PM
I have already told Kilkalon that his Fallen guy from Lost Eden will be there, though.  I will probably also include Stephanie from Chuft's Lazymod so that can represent the two largest TCMs out there as a nod to them.
You should have a look at the SMAniaC factions, too, then - Maniac is around.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: Green1 on January 29, 2013, 09:52:55 PM
I have already told Kilkalon that his Fallen guy from Lost Eden will be there, though.  I will probably also include Stephanie from Chuft's Lazymod so that can represent the two largest TCMs out there as a nod to them.
You should have a look at the SMAniaC factions, too, then - Maniac is around.

The Bree, I believe, is a SMAniAC faction. Pretty brutal little faction, too.
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: ete on January 29, 2013, 10:27:51 PM
The NN version of the Bree at least is extremely fast expanding, but actually provides surprisingly little threat because they're sea based and pacifist, and build HUGE armadas of transports. They're last to die always, but rarely do any real damage to me (though a few AI tweaks could fix that).
Title: Re: AAR 3: Lal must suffer!
Post by: testdummy653 on January 30, 2013, 12:19:11 AM
I hate Cliff Hangers...

Yeah, I got caught up in Eve Online and messing around with custom factions.

You know, I had been playing Alpha Centauri for years and I never knew how to do it till I started hanging around here?

I am going to do more on this at some point. Not tonight, though. Some of the action in Eve has been heating up. I also want to help ete with his custom factions because it ties into what I have planned for AAR4 which will tie into showcasing custom factions.

All of them will be custom with the exception of Miriam, who I will be playing.

Well write in that AAR then! I follow both!
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